AN EXCEPTIONAL SECOND WORLD WAR 'S.O.E. SPECIAL OPERATIONS' D.F.M. GROUP OF FIVE AWARDED TO FLYING OFFICER, ROYAL AIR FORCE, WHO PARTICIPATED IN MANY PERILOUS COVERT SORTIES - BOTH IN EUROPE AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA - AS AN AIR GUNNER IN NO. 161 SQUADRON AND NO. 357 SQUADRON. AS SUCH, HE SERVED UNDER THE COMMAND OF LEGENDARY FIGURES INCLUDING GROUP CAPTAIN P. C. 'PICK' PICKARD, D.S.O., D.F.C. AND, MORE DIRECTLY, AS AIR GUNNER TO SQUADRON LEADER L. M. 'BOB' HODGES - AFTERWARDS AIR CHIEF MARSHAL SIR LEWIS HODGES, K.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C.

DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL, G.VI.R. ‘1343639. SGT. R. M. RITCHIE. R.A.F.’; 1939-45 STAR; AIR CREW EUROPE STAR, CLASP, FRANCE AND GERMANY; DEFENCE AND WAR MEDALS 1939-45

D.F.M. London Gazette 13 July 1943. The original recommendation - submitted by Squadron Leader Lewis Hodges - states:

'Sergeant Ritchie has carried out 21 operational sorties and has been employed on duties of a special nature, requiring a very high standard of skill and judgement. His keenness to fly, and his high standard of efficiency both in the air and on the ground, is outstanding.'

Robert McGowan Ritchie's operational career commenced in August 1942, when he joined No. 161 Squadron as an Air Gunner at Tempsford. The unit, which operated in Halifaxes, in addition to Lysanders and converted Hudsons, was charged with 'taking by night, saboteurs to lead, guide, and maintain communications with the underground movement; in supplying the Maquis with arms, ammunition, radios, pigeons, and food; in bringing to this country from the continent those people of either political importance or important to the war effort.'

For his own part, Ritchie flew at least 31 special operations with the Squadron, not a few of them as Air Gunner to 'Bob' Hodges; the following coded S.O.E. circuits being among their allotted tasks……….

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Condition NEF. Sold with a large file of copied research, including Operational Record Book extracts and a group photograph including the recipient.